Refrigerator-car construction



E. POSSON.

REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-19, 191?.

1,388,600. Patented Aug. 23;-1921.

2 SHEETSQSHEET I.

l'ciwardfiJaan/ E. POSSON.

REFRIGERATOR CAR cowsmucno APPLICATION FILED DEC. \9. 1911. PatentedAug. 23, 1921.:

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 'cipal titi it a waterproof proof, and the advantageEDWARD POSSON. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

nnrmenmron-oen consrnucrron.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD. POSSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at hicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator-CarConstruction, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerator car construction,and to a new article of manufacture for use as an insulating material inthe construction of the walls and floors of the car. Some of the bestinsulating materials, such as hair felt, for instance, do not inthemselves possess suflicient stiffness to' be selfsupporting when usedin the side wall con struction of cars, and the disintegrating effect ofvibration soon causes the insulating material to sag and break down. 1The prinpurpose of the present invention is to provide an improvedcomposite insulator having better heat-insulating qualities than felthair and other similar materials, and in which such materials are givensufficient strength by reinforcement to enable them to sustain their ownweight when mounted vertically. In my improved insulator a plurality oflayers of cellular or porous insulating material having considerableflexibility, such as hair felt and the like, are united and cemented tolayers of relatively stiff material, preferably having insulatingqualities, so that a composite insulating structure is formed, havinggreater heat-insulating qualities than its principal constituent takenalone, without perforating the heat-insulating material, or otherwiseproviding air spaces-through which heat might escape.

The insulating material used to insulate refrigerator cars beneath thefloorand the side and end walls for short distances up wardly fromthefloor is liable to become injured by moisture, and its eflectivenessthereby destroyed, unless me'ansbe taken to render the insulatingmaterial moisture-.

of a waterproof material may be easily obtained by usin the presentinvention, in which the insulating structure after fabrication has itsedges, or the entire body thereof, dipped in a bath of hot asphalt, orsimilarsubstance, to give coating and to impregnate Specification ofLetters Patent. Application filed December 19, 1917; Serial No. 207,833.

Patented Aug. 23', 19 21.

the open edges thereof with waterproofing material, so that the sectionsof insulation liable-to come into contact with moisture are maintainedin a dry state. A further feature of the invention is the combination ofmy imprnved insulator with novel means for securing the same in the carstructure.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be set forthmore fully in the following specification, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in

which several embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

In the drawings--- igure 1 is a perspective view of a por;

tion of a refrigerator car with parts thereof broken away, and showing asection taken transversely through the car;

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of a section of insulating materialused in theconstruction of the car illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of a section of insulating material ofdifferent size;

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged perspective view 7 of one form of my improvedinsulating com position, with a portion thereof cut away to illustratethe interior construction;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing a modified" construction ofthe composite insulating material;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view, showing a further embodiment ofthe invention;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view, showing still another embodimentof the invention;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view, showing a fifth modified form ofthe invention;

the side wall of the car, showing my improved method of employing theinsulator in car construction Fig. 10 isa view similar to Fig. 9,showing a'rnodified form of construction; and i Fig. 11 is a sectiontaken transversely "through a tank car, showing the adaptation,

cars of that of my improved insulator to g type.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view through i sheets of hair feltor thelike are united" support the floor boards 17 of the car. The side walls18 extend upwardly from the outer longitudinal sills 15, being united byend walls 19 and arrangedto support the car roof 20. The side wallscomprise the horizontally extending belt rails 21, which are spacedapart vertically, as shown, and'are inclosed by the inside sheathing 22and the outside sheathing 23, so that compartments are formed which areadapted to receive the heat-insulating material as will be hereinafterdescribed. The side plates v25, along the upper edges of the car wall,support the outer edges of the roof 20, and the inner portions of theroof are carried by the longitudinal purlins 26, which are spaced apartto form compartments for receiving the heat-insulating material.

The various compartments in the fl'oor, walls,"and roof of the car,fibOYg referred to, are adapted to be substantially filled by mycomposite heat-insulating material, which may be constructed, asillustrated in Fig. ,4, of two or more layers 30, of loose.

flexible material, such as hair felt pressed into theformofzlayers orsheets,'and-these by a sheet-31 ofmaterial having considera l estiffness, and"- preferably ofheat-insu latingqualities, such as wool'felt paper, which is cementedto the layers =30 by a suit able material,preferably sodium silicate.

Other stiffening layers 32, preferably of similar material, are-cementedto the outer surfaces of the outer layers of hair felt or the like, andwhen one layer onl of the loose flexible material-is employed t e outersurfaces thereof only are' covered with the stiffening material'cementedthereto. The

uncovered edges 33 of the sheets 30,which' are not covered by thes'tiifening material 31-- '32,'would ordinarily permit moisture topenetrate" the body of the layers of insu ating material, but thisdefect is overcome by di ping the edges of the insulator in suitab ewaterproofing compounds, such as hot asphalt or the like, so that theedges 33 of thelayers 30 andthe edges of the sheets 32am coated "andimpregnated with a layer adapted toprevent moisturefrom enter ing theinsulator. The dippingof the layers into the heabirisulating material ispref erably done after fabrication of thelayers into a compositestructure, and, if desired, the entlre insulating structure may bedipped in the insulating and waterproofingcofii ound to give it acomplete waterprobf coating 35, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

The insulating material as described in connection with Fi 4 is made upinto blocks or sections' and' 37, asillustrated in- Figs. 2' and 3, res'ectively'," and these sections are adapted t be'inserted between thelongitudinal sills, for' instance, of the car :flobr. The sections36,'whic'h are used between the sills 15, preferably include arelatively large number of layers of the in-' sulating material cementedtogether in the manner described, 'and having their edges dipped toprovide the coating 34, or having the ent re section dipped to form acoating 35. The layers of material used in the floor construction arepreferably of the same size, so that their edges abut against thevertical surfaces of the longitudinal and transverse sills of the floor,and the insulating sections are held a ainst vertical displacement bythe longitudinal and transverse cleats 38, which .are secured to thesills. In the construction of' the side walls the main belt rails 21 arepreferably of considerable. width vertically, and have secured to theirouter sides lon 'tudinall" extending ribs or cleats 40 of widt than therails. In forming-the insulatin sections the outer layer 30 ofthe'materia 30 is preferably arranged to overlap the upper and loweredges of the inner layer .30", so that while the inner layersofmaterial' fit'between'an'd abut against the strips 40, the outer layersoverla the strips',-ahd these outer layers'30 of a jacent insulatingsections abut against each other, so that the insulating materialextends continuously through the side walls from the reef to the floorof the car. It will be understood-that the vertical and'transvers'eframe members are constructed similarly to' the belt rails and areoverlapped-by the" outer layers'of' insulating material, so that ea'bhsectibnal insulator has the form illustrated in Figs. 2-and 3; Cleats 41are then secured over the overlappingedge's of the layers of theinsulating-material, and the outside sheathing 23 is secured to thesecleat's. The 'side plates 25 and the longitudinal sills 15 at the ed ofthe car are notched-or'cdt away longi u- .dihally, as shown at 42 and43,res

tivel so that the edges of. the'section's'o insula ingmaterial overlapand fit into these notches in=the same manner that the sections fit intothe belt rails 21" and longitudinal strips 40. Thesectional insulatorsin the side walls beneath the lower belt rails are provided withwaterproof coatings.

In the roof of the car the purlins 26 pref erabl have a substantiallyT'-sha ed danstruc ion,- whereby longitudinal oulders 26 are formed toengage and support the longitudinal edges of the 'insulating sections36. a In the embodiment" illustrated these sections'have three layers ofthe insulatin material; and the uppermost layer thereo is adaptedto'overlap' the purlins 26 ma to engage suitablelon ithdinalnotches inthe side plates 25,'so'.that the upper l'ayers'30 of the-insulatingmaterial abiltagainst each other, while the ed set the lower layersabut'again'st' the pur ins and the side plea-s.

Longitudinal strips 44ers secured over the 130 ing the .ventionoverlapping edges of the sheets 30, and the entire construction soformed is covered by the outer roof boards and the inner roof or ceilingboards 46. The method of unitedges of the insulating sections with thecar framework above described may be more clearly understood byreference go the enlarged sectional view shown in i 9.

n Fig. 10 there isillustrated a modified form of construction, in whichthe belt rail 21 has a longitudinal strip I l0 secured thereto andprojecting therefrom a distance corresponding to the thickness of theinsulating sections 47, the layers of which are the same Size andadapted to abut against the strip 40, where they are held in position bya cleat 48, of larger dimensions, which overlaps the adjacent edges ofthe insulatin sections' a This insulating SGChlOIIdS inclose by theinner sheathing 22 and the outer sheathing 23 as in the. constructionpreviously described. In either form of construction the sectionsof,insulating material are held firmly in place, and substantiallyair-tight joints are formed, so thatair can not pass from the interiorof the car to the outside thereof.'

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a modified constructlon of the compositeheat insulator, in which two layers of heat insulating ma terial, such.as body hair felt or the like, are cemented together and reinforced byan in; tervening layer 51 of some mate *ial such as magnesium, which notonly unites the outer layers of felt but imparts sufficierit stiffnessto themto enable them to sustain their own weight. p

In Fig. 7 a further embodiment of the inis illustrated, in which twoouter layers 52 of flax-board, or the like, are cemented to anintervening layer 53-015 hair felt to impart render the entire structuresufficiently stiff to support its own weight when, placed vertically asin the side wall construction. of a car.

. tion of lift tie

" 5t e f hair felt or the j In Fig. 8 a fifth embodiment of theinventron is illustrated, in which the outer layers like are united byan intervening cementin layer 55 as in the form illustrated in Fig. 6,except that the layer 55 has insulating material mixed with the cementto form a relatively thick layer which not only unites the layers ofhair felt but increases the heat-insulating qualities of theentire'structure.

In Fig. 11 I have illustrated the adaptamy improved insulating materialto tank cars, and the like. The inner metal wall of the tanlr car issheet metal covering 61, and this intervening space is adapted to befilled with. heat-insulating material, which may be effectively accomplished by using the present invention in terial whereby the passageof heat stiffness to the latter andto I each other,

spaced from the on ter.

which the heat' insulator is made up in sect tions 62, each consistingof a plurality of layers 63 of body hair felt, or the like, ce-

mented together along their contacting sur- I adapted 'toabut againsteach other, and the edges of'the outer layers are similarl in contact,so that a tight joint is forme between adjacent-sections of theinsulating mais effectively prevented. a f

ile my invention is of particular advantagein the construction ofrefrigerator cars,

seen that it may be put to other it will he uses of the class hereindescribed without departing from the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

I claim:

the" adjacent a 1. In a refrigerator car, an insulated Wall comprising aplurality of sectional heat insulators each comprising a plurality ofrelatively thick layers of flexible insulating material uni-ted andsupported by sheets of stiffening material cemented thereto, and aframework for uniting and supportin said sections, some of said layersbeing arranged to abut against said framework, and other layers beingarranged to overlap said framework and abut against ,each other, wherebya continuous sheet of heat-insulating material is formed throughout thecar wall.

2. In a refrigerator car, a plurality of frame members spaced apa'rttoform interveningspaces adapted to receive insulating material, sectionalheat insulators fitting into said spaces, said. heat insulators eachcomprising a plurality of layers of insulating material cementedtogether, some of said layers being of less area than the others,whereby the layers of lesser area abut against the lateral edges of saidframemembers and the layers of larger area overlap said frame membersand abut against and securing means overlapping the edges of said layersof larger area;

3. The combination in a railway car, of an insulated wall comprising aplurality of sectional heat insulators each comprising a plurality ofrelatively thick contacting layers of flexible heat insulating material,some of said layers of heat insulating material having their edgesprojecting beyond the edges of the othercontacting layers, 'whereby thejoints at the abutting edges of the sections of one layer are di placedfrom the joints of the contacting layers.

4. In a refrigerator car, a vertical car wall comprising a plurality ofsectional heat insulators each comprising a plurality of relativelythick-layers of flexible heat insulating material united and supportedby contacting sheets of stifi'ening material, cemented thereto, and aframework for uniting and supporting said sections, some of said layersbeing arranged to abut against said framework and other layers beingarranged to overlap said framework whereby some of the layers ofadjacent sectional heat insulators abut against each other and form acontinuous sheet of heat insulating material throughout the car wall.

5. In a refrigerator car, a vertical wall comprising a plurality offrame members spaced apart to form intervening spaces adapted to receiveheat insulating material,

said frame members each being composed of connected strips havingdifierent dimensions, the wider strips extending beyond the narrowerstrips and forming seats, and sectional heat insulators fitting intosaid spaces and engaging said seats, said heat insulators being formedof a plurality of layers of heat insulating material cemented togetherand reinforced by layers of stiffening materials cemented thereto,layers of stiffening material being interposed between layers of heatinsulating material, some of said layers of heat insulating materialbeing adapted to engage said seats and abut against said narrowerstrips, other layers of heat insulating material being of larger areaand adapted to overlap said strips whereby said last mentioned layers ofadjacent'heat insulating sections abut against each other along saidframe members.

In testimony whereof I have subscribed my name.

EDWARD POSSON. Witnesses:

ARTHUR VVITHALL, C. E. EKLIND.

